My DH and I were both homeschooled through very different methods, and I can see validity in them both.
I think the important point has already been covered. With parent participation, almost any method will work, and without it any method (including Public Schooling) will fail.
Personally, we will be doing a lot of almost unschooling- that is, their individual interests will be encouraged and guided to gain most of their schooling from those life experiences, and some subjects will be more scheduled, mainly to gain the dicsipline needed to 'just do it', not bacause I think they will learn better that way.
Now, to get back to the OPs discusion- We have been doing a lot of learning about chickens, with our first batch of eggs hatching last month. I have been doing 'how to teach your chind to read in 100 easy lessons' with my 4 yr old DD. We started last year, and have taken breaks to move, have a new baby, and just whenever we felt like it. We are a little over half way through.
Everyone is so surprised to see a 4 yr old reading, but to me it is just what her personality is like! My DS couldnt care less, and I am sure he will be older when he starts. Noone should feel bad that an eight year old struggles still, I know high school graduates who cant read any better then that, so look how long you have to improve!!
About gardening, we were shopping yesterday, and DD saw some gardening gloves. Now we have to get "kid gardening gloves' 'kid shovels', (pink of course) and 'kid hoes and rakes'. She says, "Mom, when you are ready, we will have to come back here and get this stuff cause I want to plant seeds with you!"
I think the important point has already been covered. With parent participation, almost any method will work, and without it any method (including Public Schooling) will fail.
Personally, we will be doing a lot of almost unschooling- that is, their individual interests will be encouraged and guided to gain most of their schooling from those life experiences, and some subjects will be more scheduled, mainly to gain the dicsipline needed to 'just do it', not bacause I think they will learn better that way.
Now, to get back to the OPs discusion- We have been doing a lot of learning about chickens, with our first batch of eggs hatching last month. I have been doing 'how to teach your chind to read in 100 easy lessons' with my 4 yr old DD. We started last year, and have taken breaks to move, have a new baby, and just whenever we felt like it. We are a little over half way through.
Everyone is so surprised to see a 4 yr old reading, but to me it is just what her personality is like! My DS couldnt care less, and I am sure he will be older when he starts. Noone should feel bad that an eight year old struggles still, I know high school graduates who cant read any better then that, so look how long you have to improve!!
About gardening, we were shopping yesterday, and DD saw some gardening gloves. Now we have to get "kid gardening gloves' 'kid shovels', (pink of course) and 'kid hoes and rakes'. She says, "Mom, when you are ready, we will have to come back here and get this stuff cause I want to plant seeds with you!"
